Babies Cardigan in Bergere de France Calinou - 60437-01 - Downloadable PDF

Babies Cardigan in Bergere de France Calinou – Pattern Summary (60437-01)

This downloadable PDF knitting pattern from Bergere de France provides instructions for a charming babies' cardigan, worked in the brand's own Calinou yarn. The pattern covers five sizes — 3 months, 6 months, 12 months, 18 months, and 24 months — making it a versatile project for knitters who enjoy creating handmade garments for babies and young toddlers. The pattern is rated intermediate in difficulty, meaning it is well suited to knitters who are comfortable with basic shaping techniques and are ready to work with multiple pieces that are later assembled.

What Is Being Made

The finished project is a classic baby cardigan featuring set-in or shaped sleeves, a neat neckline, decorative false pocket borders on each front panel, and a button band running along the front opening. The cardigan is finished with three printed heart-motif buttons in blue, 12 mm in diameter (reference 67891), giving it a sweet, boutique-quality appearance that makes it ideal as a gift or a special handmade keepsake.

Yarn and Materials

The pattern is designed specifically for Bergere de France Calinou, a 4-ply weight yarn. Two colourways are used to create the two-tone design:

• Bleu Vert (shade 10044) — the main colour, requiring 2 pelotes for 3 months, 2 for 6 months, 3 for 12 months, 3 for 18 months, and 4 for 24 months
• Bleu Nuit (shade 10045) — the contrast colour, with 1 pelote required across all five sizes

Using the correct yarn is important for achieving the stated tension and ensuring the finished garment matches the intended sizing. Calinou is a fine, baby-appropriate yarn, and its 4-ply weight produces a lightweight, delicate fabric that is comfortable against a baby's sensitive skin.

Needles Required

The pattern calls for two needle sizes:

• 3 mm (no. 3) needles — used for the main stocking stitch body and sleeves
• 2.5 mm (no. 2.5) needles — used for the ribbed welts, cuffs, button bands, and borders

Working with two needle sizes is a standard technique in garment knitting: the smaller needle creates a firmer, neater edge on ribbing and borders, while the larger needle produces a softer, more fluid fabric for the main sections.

Stitches and Techniques Used

Stocking Stitch (Jersey Endroit)

Stocking stitch — referred to in the French-language pattern as jersey endroit — forms the main fabric of the cardigan body and sleeves. This is the most classic of all knitting stitches, created by knitting every right-side row and purling every wrong-side row. It produces a smooth, flat fabric on the knit side, which is ideal for baby garments as it lies neatly and shows colourwork or shaping cleanly.

1x1 Rib (Côtes 1/1)

The welts, cuffs, and borders are worked in 1x1 rib (côtes 1/1), alternating one knit stitch with one purl stitch across the row. Ribbing is naturally elastic, which helps the cardigan hold its shape at the edges and ensures a snug, comfortable fit at the cuffs and hem without being restrictive on a baby's body.

Sleeve Shaping with Increases

The sleeves are shaped using paired increases worked 2 stitches in from each edge, a technique that creates a neat, decorative increase line and gives the sleeve its tapered form. The frequency of increases varies by size:

• 3 months: 5 increases of 1 stitch each side, every 6 rows
• 6 months: 5 increases every 6 rows, then 2 increases every 4